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Barbara Rimer

Publications and source records attributed to Barbara Rimer.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Correlates of repeat and recent mammography for women ages 45 to 75 in the 2002 to 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 2003).

BACKGROUND: Most national-level mammography data are for ever-had and most-recent screening. There are few national-level data on rates of repeat, on-schedule mammography, and on the prevalence and correlates of repeat mammography. It is also important to investigate the similarity of correlates for repeat and recent mammography. METHODS: Analyses were from data for women ages 45 to 75 in the 2002 to 2003 Health Information and National Trends Survey (HINTS 2003; N = 1,581). The two dependent variables were self-report of repeat mammography (two exams on schedule, based on an every-other-year interval) and recent mammography only (one mammogram within the past 2 years). RESULTS: The prevalence of recent mammography was 81.6% (95% confidence interval, 79.1-84.1) and for repeat mammography was 72.2% (95% confidence interval, 69.0-75.4). An access to care variable combining insurance coverage and regular source of care was the strongest sociodemographic correlate of both mammography indicators. Most other sociodemographic variables were not associated with mammography status. Five psychosocial/behavioral variables were associated with both mammography indicators (smoking status, attention to health information, knowledge of screening interval, worry about breast cancer, and recent mood status). Correlates were very similar for repeat and recent mammography. CONCLUSIONS: Although access to care had the strongest association with mammography, psychosocial and behavioral variables did better as a group than the sociodemographic variables. A standard set of such variables should be considered for all national surveys.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Introduction to the special section on dissemination: dissemination research and research dissemination: how can we close the gap?

One of the greatest challenges facing health promotion and disease prevention is translating research findings into evidence-based public health and clinical practices that are actively disseminated and widely adopted. Despite the tremendous strides made in developing effective disease prevention and control programs, there has been little study of effective dissemination of evidence-based programs to and adoption by community, public health, and clinical practice settings. This special section provides a venue in which to highlight exemplary dissemination research efforts while also identifying limitations in research to date and framing important future research questions. This issue establishes a resource for investigators interested in dissemination research, with relevance to health psychology. In this sense, it can serve as a benchmark by which to examine subsequent progress. The 6 articles reflect the state of the science in dissemination research for the promotion and adoption of health behavior change interventions.

Behavioral Medicine↗
PubMed2004

Promoting informed decisions about cancer screening in communities and healthcare systems.

Individuals are increasingly involved in decisions about their health care. Shared decision making (SDM), an intervention in the clinical setting in which patients and providers collaborate in decision making, is an important approach for informing patients and involving them in their health care. However, SDM cannot bear the entire burden for informing and involving individuals. Population-oriented interventions to promote informed decision making (IDM) should also be explored. This review provides a conceptual background for population-oriented interventions to promote informed decisions (IDM interventions), followed by a systematic review of studies of IDM interventions to promote cancer screening. This review specifically asked whether IDM interventions (1) promote understanding of cancer screening, (2) facilitate participation in decision making about cancer screening at a level that is comfortable for individuals; or (3) encourage individuals to make cancer-screening decisions that are consistent with their preferences and values.Fifteen intervention arms met the intervention definition. They used small media, counseling, small-group education, provider-oriented strategies, or combinations of these to promote IDM. The interventions were generally consistent in improving individuals' knowledge about the disease, accuracy of risk perceptions, or knowledge and beliefs about the pros and cons of screening and treatment options. However, few studies evaluated whether these interventions resulted in individuals participating in decision making at a desirable level, or whether they led to decisions that were consistent with individuals' values and preferences. More research is needed on how best to promote and facilitate individuals' participation in health care. Work is especially needed on how to facilitate participation at a level desired by individuals, how to promote decisions by patients that are consistent with their preferences and values, how to perform effective and cost-effective IDM interventions for healthcare systems and providers and in community settings (outside of clinical settings), and how to implement these interventions in diverse populations (such as populations that are older, nonwhite, or disadvantaged). Finally, work is needed on the presence and magnitude of barriers to and harms of IDM interventions and how they might be avoided.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed2004

Interventions to prevent skin cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation: a systematic review.

The relationship between skin cancer and ultraviolet radiation is well established. Behaviors such as seeking shade, avoiding sun exposure during peak hours of radiation, wearing protective clothing, or some combination of these behaviors can provide protection. Sunscreen use alone is not considered an adequate protection against ultraviolet radiation. This report presents the results of systematic reviews of effectiveness, applicability, other harms or benefits, economic evaluations, and barriers to use of selected interventions to prevent skin cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services found that education and policy approaches to increasing sun-protective behaviors were effective when implemented in primary schools and in recreational or tourism settings, but found insufficient evidence to determine effectiveness when implemented in other settings, such as child care centers, secondary schools and colleges, and occupational settings. They also found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of interventions oriented to healthcare settings and providers, media campaigns alone, interventions oriented to parents or caregivers of children, and community-wide multicomponent interventions. The report also provides suggestions for areas for future research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Skin cancer screening among U.S. adults from 1992, 1998, and 2000 National Health Interview Surveys.

BACKGROUND: Relatively little is known about the prevalence of skin cancer screening in the context of inconsistent skin cancer screening recommendations. METHODS: To determine the prevalence and predictors of skin cancer screening rates in the U.S. adult population, we used self-reported data from the 1992, 1998, and 2000 National Health Interview Surveys, a nationally representative survey of civilian noninstitutionalized adults. RESULTS: The percentage of the U.S. adult population who had ever had a skin examination conducted by a doctor was 20.6% in 1992, 20.9% in 1998, and 14.5% in 2000. The percentage with a recent skin examination was 10.3% in 1992, 11.0% in 1998, and 8.0% in 2000. White non-Hispanics reported being screened more frequently than persons in other racial or ethnic groups. Recent skin cancer screening exams were more common among white persons who had a family history of melanoma, had higher education, had usual place of care, and were older (> or =50 years). Frequent use of sunscreen and hats was associated with a recent skin cancer exam. CONCLUSIONS: In the past decade, skin cancer screening rates have been consistently low. Continued monitoring of skin cancer examination is important given conflicting current research results and potentially evolving science.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The Cancer Genetics Network: recruitment results and pilot studies.

OBJECTIVE: The National Cancer Institute established the Cancer Genetics Network (CGN) to support collaborative investigations into the genetic basis of cancer susceptibility, explore mechanisms to integrate this new knowledge into medical practice, and identify ways of addressing the associated psychosocial, ethical, legal, and public health issues. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The CGN has developed the complex infrastructure required to support the projects, including the establishment of guidelines and policies, uniform methods, standard questionnaires to be used by all of the centers, and a standard format for submission of data to the Informatics Center. Cancer patients and their family members have been invited to enroll and be included in a pool of potential study participants. The Information Technology Group is responsible for support of the design, implementation, and maintenance of the multicenter Network-wide research protocols. RESULTS: As of January 2004, the CGN contained data on 23,995 probands (participants) and 425,798 family members. As a resource for cancer genetic studies, the CGN has a large number of probands and first-degree relatives with and without cancer and with multiple ethnicities. Different study designs can be used including case-control, case-case, and family studies. CONCLUSIONS: The unique resources of the CGN are available for studies on cancer genetic susceptibility, translational research, and behavioral research. The CGN is now at a point where approved collaborators may have access to enrolled patients and their families for special studies, as well as to the clinical, environmental and family cancer history data banked in the Informatics Center.

Female↗
PubMed2002

Use of mammographic screening by HIV-infected women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS).

BACKGROUND: Although HIV-positive women may be less likely than women in general to receive mammography due to socioeconomic disadvantage, HIV diagnosis may increase opportunities for medical interactions which encourage mammography. METHODS: HIV-positive (2,059) and HIV-negative (569) Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) participants reported ever/never history of mammography at baseline (in 1994, 1995) and, at each 6-month follow-up visit, if they had been screened since their last visit. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for 1994 were used to compare WIHS participants to U.S. women. Factors independently related to mammography were determined using logistic regression for baseline data and proportional hazards for follow-up data. Results were adjusted for age. RESULTS: Among women > or =40, fewer WIHS women, regardless of HIV status, reported screening than U.S. women (67% HIV-positive, 62% HIV-negative, 79% NHIS; P < 0.0001). First-time screening while on study was associated with being HIV-positive [rate ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.6 (1.1, 2.3)]. Factors independently associated with screening were related to health care access and usage. CONCLUSIONS: WIHS women, a disadvantaged population, reported less mammography than the general population. HIV-positive women reported more screening than HIV-negative women, possibly because of greater opportunity to interact with the health care system.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Mammography pain and discomfort: a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

Although some women report having little pain or discomfort during mammography, other women find mammography to be a painful and uncomfortable experience. Cognitive and behavioral factors may influence the perception of pain and discomfort during mammography. This review critically evaluates the research on mammography pain from a cognitive-behavioral perspective. The review is in three sections. The first reviews studies measuring pain and discomfort in women who have recently had mammograms and studies investigating the relative importance of pain and discomfort in influencing women's decisions to have a mammogram. The second section presents a cognitive-behavioral model of mammography pain that is based on theories of behavior and self-regulation developed by Kanfer and Hagerman (1987). The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of the cognitive-behavioral perspective for clinical management and research on mammography pain and discomfort.

Behavior↗
PubMed1984

Informed consent: a crucial step in cancer patient education.

Informed consent is an issue of major importance for cancer patients and for the practitioners who treat them. Recently, the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research emphasized the educational goals of the consent process. Nevertheless, past research confirms that these goals are difficult to attain. In this paper, we present an overview of informed consent and describe a study of informed consent to cancer treatment conducted at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in which the consultation between the patient and physician (and/or other health professional) was observed and patients were interviewed. On the average, patients recalled less than 40% of what they were told. Patients who were told more items recalled more; however, they recalled a smaller proportion of what they were told. Several implications for health education are drawn from the study results.

Cognition↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Correlates of sunburn experiences among U.S. adults: results of the 2000 National Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of sunburns in the U.S. adult population and the correlates of sunburns. METHODS: Data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey Cancer Control Module were used to calculate the number of sunburns (0, 1, 2, or > or = 3) experienced during the past year by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and skin sensitivity to sun exposure. The relationship between no sunburns vs. one or more sunburns and additional demographic, health, and behavioral factors for adults who self-identify as white Hispanic or white non-Hispanic was assessed using general linear contrasts. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted to determine the most important covariates associated with sunburns. All analyses were weighted for the complex sampling design. RESULTS: The study data suggest that overall, 18.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.9, 19.1) of U.S. adults experience one sunburn a year, 9.7% (95% CI 9.3, 10.1) experience two, and 8.0% (95% CI 7.6, 8.4) experience > or = 3 sunburns. The data also indicate that adults who self-identify as white non-Hispanic experience sunburns more frequently than (in order of prevalence) those who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, white Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or black. Sunburns were found to be more common among men than among women, more common among younger age groups than among older age groups, and more common among those with skin more prone to sunburn than among those with skin less prone to sunburn. Among individuals who self-identify as white Hispanic or white non-Hispanic, protective behaviors associated with lower rates of one or more sunburns in multivariate analyses are staying in the shade (odds ratio [OR] 0.73, 95% CI 0.66, 0.80) and wearing long-sleeved shirts (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Many American adults have one or more sunburns per year. Methods to protect from sun exposure may not be used as needed to prevent sunburn.

Adolescent↗